Down, But Not Out
by Irene14
Summary: Missing scene for "Right is the Fourth R" s6e192. How exactly did Adam get home after being jumped at the schoolhouse? Barbara 'hears about it in town' but certainly she wouldn't be out that late, nor would she start a cross-country trip at practically midnight. Rated T, aftermath of violence, no language. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Joe paced restlessly in front of the hearth, then stopped momentarily, rubbing the back of his neck reflecting on the day. Adam had spoken to Pa and Hoss in town about Barbara teaching again, and said he'd be staying late at the schoolhouse to finish things up. Pa had yet to return from his evening visit with one of their neigbors, leaving just Hoss and Joe at the dinner table. When Joe mentioned about Adam, Hoss gave a sly grin with a comment about Miss Barbara being "a right pretty gal".

Joe had smiled knowingly and let the matter go, but as the evening wore on, a knot in his stomach refused to go away. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but something didn't seem right. While his oldest brother might be taking a shine to the schoolteacher, he wouldn't be so rude as to keep her out late. Maybe he _was_ just finishing things up. Adam had been rather occupied with his new task lately, applying himself fully to putting together the history lesson.

Joe sighed, looking over as the clock struck ten times. Ten. That was too late, even for Adam. Striding to the sideboard, Joe buckled on his gunbelt and grabbed his hat. _Oldest or not, I'm going to see what's keeping him,_ he thought. Just as Joe reached for the front door, he heard footsteps on the porch. _Finally_, he thought, pulling the door open.

What he saw had him rushing outside, his stomach flip-flopping. Adam was half-standing with his arm draped over Old Charlie's shoulders, head hanging, barely aware he was home.

"What happened?" Joe asked, pulling Adam's other arm across his own shoulders. Adam's head lifted slightly at the sound of his brother's voice.

"Joe?" he mumbled.

"Adam don't worry, you're home now," Joe said as they entered the house and laid him on the settee. "Hoss! Hoss get down here!" Joe yelled. Moments later, a still fully-clothed Hoss appeared on the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

"What's all the ruckus about? Can't a feller get any sleep?"

"It's Adam," Joe said, finally getting a good look at his oldest brother. Adam's face was a mess of bruises and cuts, his lip swollen, his cheek bloody. Hoss hurried downstairs to the settee as Old Charlie slipped out the front door.

"Joe what happened to him?" Hoss asked softly as Adam groaned, his eyelids fluttering open.

"I don't know yet," Joe replied over his shoulder, pouring a glass of brandy and returning to his brother. "Here,' Joe said, supporting Adam's head and holding the brandy for him to drink.

Gratefully, Adam sipped the brandy, wincing slightly when he coughed and covering his ribs with his hand. Joe noticed the movement but refrained from mentioning it, instead turning to Hoss. "Go get some towels, bandages, and water," he instructed.

"Sure thing, Joe," Hoss said, hurrying to the kitchen. Moments later he returned with the items and some salve.

Joe wetted several cloths and gently dabbed at the cuts and bruises on Adam's face. "Just hold still," Joe said as Adam tried to pull away. Reluctantly, Adam let Joe clean the abrasions and apply salve, relaxing slightly when he felt some of the ache begin to fade.

"Better?" Joe asked.

"Yeah," Adam replied.

"Let me have a look at your ribs." Adam looked sharply at his youngest brother. "I saw how you were holding them when you coughed," Joe said. "Where does it hurt?"

Reluctantly, Adam gestured to his lower left ribs. "I think I got hit there a few times." Joe unbuttoned the black shirt and gently palpated the area as Adam sucked air in through clenched teeth.

"Well, nothing feels broken," Joe said. "Hoss, give me a hand would you?"

Adam gasped as Hoss slid an arm under his shoulders and carefully levered him into a sitting position. Jaw clenched shut, he rested his head on Hoss's arm while his brothers managed to remove his shirt, then Joe wound bandages firmly around the injured ribs. "There, all done," Hoss said as he gently laid Adam back down. Adam closed his eyes, breathing shallowly while Joe finished tying the knot.

"You said you got hit there," Hoss said. "Who was it and why'd they do it?"

Before Adam could catch his breath to answer, the front door opened and Ben walked in, his face frozen as he took in the scene before him. Joe sitting on the table by the settee, a bowl, bandages, and blood streaked towels beside him. Hoss leaning over Joe's shoulder. Adam laying on the settee. Ben quickly closed the door and hurried forward. Hoss moved back as Ben rounded the settee and saw Adam's face and binding on his ribs. "What happened here?" he rumbled, sitting in Joe's hastily vacated spot.

Adam looked at his father's worried face. "I'm alright, Pa," he said breathlessly.

"I'll be the judge of that," Ben said sternly. He turned to his youngest. "Joseph, I want you to ride into town and get Doc Martin."

"Pa, I don't think that's necessary," Adam interrupted quickly. "I've had worse getting thrown by a horse."

"Thrown then trampled," Hoss muttered under his breath.

"What's that, Hoss?" Ben asked.

"Nothing, Pa," Hoss replied.

"Please, Pa, I'll be fine. If you want, I can see Paul tomorrow," Adam said.

Ben sighed. "All right," he gave in to his sensible son. Leaning forward, he laid a gentle hand on Adam's shoulder. "At least tell me who did this?"

"I don't know who they were," Adam replied.

"They?" Ben's face darkened.

"There were three of them," Adam said. Quietly, he relayed how the armed men had entered the schoolhouse and jumped him, and how Old Charlie happened along and got him home. "I didn't get a very good look at them, Pa," Adam said, "but someone must have sent them."

'Hired them, you mean," Joe supplied.

'Well, I hope they get paid, they earned their money's worth," Adam said ruefully, rubbing his sore jaw.

"Adam, that's no way to talk," Ben chided. Adam winced suddenly and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "We can discuss this in the morning. Right now, you need rest." Joe supported Adam's shoulders as Ben leaned forward, grasping his son's right arm and helping him sit up.

For a moment, Adam sat there, gripping the edge of the settee while willing the dizziness to pass. Slowly and with support from both sides, he got to his feet, stifling a groan. "Easy now, easy," Ben said as they slowly made their way across the room with Hoss close behind. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, Adam started to step up next to Joe, and promptly passed out.

Hoss quickly stepped forward and caught Adam as he fell. Easily scooping his older brother up, Hoss carried Adam upstairs and carefully laid him on the bed while Joe lit the lantern. Together, they got Adam's boots off, pulled the blankets up, and made sure he was resting comfortably just as Ben entered the room.

"Thank you boys," he said. "You two go on to bed, I'll stay with him for a bit."

"Pa, you need sleep too," Joe protested.

Ben smiled tiredly at his youngest. "I won't stay long. Now go on." Both sons bade their father good night and stepped into the hallway. Ben sighed heavily and turned to find his eldest slowly waking up.

"Adam?" Ben said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Adam turned his head. "I brought you some medicine to help with that headache. Do you think you can drink it?"

"Yeah," Adam said and Ben supported his son's head as he held the cup for Adam to drink. "Thanks Pa," Adam said as he laid back.

"Are you sure you don't need the doctor?" Ben asked one last time, setting the cup down.

"Joe did a good job, Pa. I'm sure," Adam smiled.

"Alright. You get some rest, young man," Ben said pointedly. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night Pa," Adam said. Ben smiled at his son and blew out the lantern, quietly closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

As they ate breakfast the next morning, the Cartwright men discussed the events of the night before. "And you still don't know who them fellers might be?" Hoss asked around a mouthful of eggs.

Adam slowly shook his head. "No. But I'm sure someone hired them. Three men don't just wander into a schoolhouse late at night without a purpose you know."

"Well, we'll ride in and see Sheriff Coffee today," Ben said, reaching for his cup.

"Why do that?" Joe asked bluntly as Ben sipped his coffee. "I think we already know who hired them. It had to be Colonal Scott."

Ben put his cup down sharply. "Now Joseph we don't know that for sure." Ben looked momentarily puzzled. "I've known Colonal Scott for years. He's always been reasonable, generous, one of the most respected men in the territory, he couldn't possibly associate with this kind of violence."

"Wouldn't he? Just how far does it have to go?" Joe said hotly, looking over at his oldest brother's bruised face.

"Yeah, Pa, why don't we go pay him a little visit?" Hoss asked.

"Wait a minute, _wait_ a minute!" Ben held up his hand. "We cannot just go around accusing someone because we _think_ he may have something to do with it!"

Adam had remained quiet until now. "Pa's right. I appreciate your sentiments, but it wouldn't do any good to accuse someone if we can't prove it."

Suddenly there was a knock on the front door. "No, I'll get it." Joe motioned for Adam to sit back down as he stood, placing his napkin on the table and walking to the front door.

"Barbara, come in," Joe said, stepping back.

"Joe, I heard what happened in town this morning. Is Adam all right?" she asked, nervously twisting her gloves in her hands.

"He's ok," Joe said, closing the door. "Why don't you join us?"

"Thank you," she said, following him towards the dining table. Adam turned towards her, and she hurried forward, "Oh, Adam!" she cried, laying a slim hand on his cheek.

"It's nothing serious," he said, standing and squeezing her hand.

"Yeah, nothing more serious than what three hired toughs can do," Hoss said angrily.

Ben hastily cleared his throat. "Won't you join us?" he invited.

"Thank you, I've already eaten," Barbara replied.

"Well, then, how about some coffee?" Ben poured her a cup as they all moved to the living room.

Barbara turned to Adam as he sat next to her on the settee. "Oh Adam, I had no idea he'd go this far," she said sadly.

"Barbara we're not sure who's behind all this," he said.

"Oh aren't we?" she asked. The others exchanged worried glances as she continued. "He's suddenly become a different man. We had a terrible argument the other day."

Adam looked sideways at her. "On account of me?"

She nodded. 'I believe in what you're doing Adam. Thank you," she said as Ben handed her a cup of coffee. "When I told my uncle that I was going to continue with the history course, he told me to leave."

Ben sat down, frowning in surprise. 'To leave?'

'Yes, I'm going back East, Mr. Cartwright, I just came to say goodbye." She looked down at her feet.

"What about your schoolteaching?" he asked.

"I don't know what to do," she said forlornly, sipping her coffee.

"Well, you'll go back to teaching, that's what you'll do," Ben decided. "And you'll honor us by staying here until you've got yourself settled."

"We'd be glad to help out," Joe said kindly.

"That's right," Hoss chimed in.

Barbara lifted her head and smiled. 'Oh I couldn't impose on you," she said.

"Don't worry about that, you'll earn your keep," Adam commented. She looked at him curiously. "If you're going to continue teaching that history course as you said to your uncle, then I'm going to need your help finishing up my notes."

Barbara started. "I thought you'd given up?" she said.

Adam sighed. "No, this beating changed my mind." She flinched at his choice of words. "'Sides, I'm on the edge of discovering something new. You'll see what I mean when we get into my notes, so why don't we just get started, hmm?" Carefully he stood up, wincing slightly and holding his arm close to his side. "Come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the desk.

"I think we'd better leave those two alone," Ben said, standing. "Since my desk has been taken over, I'll ride along and help you two move those cattle. Let's go."

"Yes Pa," Hoss said and he and Joe followed their father outside.


End file.
